Remembering Goldstone, Forgetting Its Repudiation

The IDF’s closing of an investigation into a tragic incident during the 2009 Gaza conflict has been widely reported. Unsurprisingly, some media have referred back to the UN’s Goldstone Report. The Guardian writes:

A report by South African judge Richard Goldstone on behalf of the United Nations examined in detail the Samouni family incident. It concluded the deaths were the result of “Israeli fire intentionally directed at them” in breach of the Geneva conventions.

The Goldstone report said Israel had repeatedly violated international law and possibly committed war crimes during the conflict, which Israel named Operation Cast Lead. It also accused Hamas of war crimes.

No surprise that The Guardian would continue to use Goldstone as a stick with which to beat Israel. No surprise that The Guardian omitted a relevant fact that the Associated Press chose to include in its own story:

Following the war, a U.N. report accused Israel of deliberately attacking civilians in its campaign against Hamas militants. The report’s lead author, South African jurist Richard Goldstone, later questioned that finding, although the report was never modified or withdrawn.